FREEDOM WILL NOT BE SERVED ON A PLATTER OF GOLD: FELLOW NIGERIAN YOUTH, THE TIME IS NOW!

FREEDOM WILL NOT BE SERVED ON A PLATTER OF GOLD: FELLOW NIGERIAN YOUTH, THE TIME IS NOW! 

You may be sitting as you read this, but by the end of this speech, will you still be sitting or standing up for your right? If today will be your last on earth, what possibly could you wish for? An hour fame or luxury- a box of gold or diamonds- or a trip to the world's seven star hotel? If any of these is your wish, am dissappointed you have one of the most useless souls parading this 21st century.

My names are Akolawole Shoremi. I am patriot. My religion is humanitarian. I am embarking on an adventure of fate tied to the destinies of all Nigerians across the globe. I have dreamt and I've seen. I saw a man at the end of a journey- a journey of faith and redemption. That man is our freedom, and the journey is 'THE REVOLUTION!'

Your history teacher might have told you so many stories about this failed state, whatever, am less concern about the past as I was trained to deal with the present and help create the future. All I want you to know is that you are a victim of human-to-human injustice, which is the greatest crime on earth. Your birth rights have been sold. Your human rights have been shattered. All you have left is your future right- that right is your right to a secured future- that right is the revolution meant to change your entire life and that of your unborn generation.

I don't share the belief that the world is ending soon. Men who forecast so are only seeing an end to their own lives. And I am not disputing that Nigeria will not be great as prophesied by some men of God. What I don't know is if God promised to come down on earth to lead a struggle for us... Many nights ago, while the moon was up with the evil minds set to work, a voice came across the continent of Africa. It was a voice from above. The awakened youths in Egypt, Libya, and Cote'd Ivore heard the words at the speed of a breeze. They've acted and the giver of the voice have supported. Here in Nigeria, the voice was almost trapped but there was an echo. My fellow youths were not only asleep, many have snored off. The few of us who heard the echo was able to pick the words amidst the reverberation. The words were- "ARISE AFRICANS, YOUR DESTINIES ARE IN YOUR HANDS!" 

My heart bleeds that millions of Nigerian children have not seen the walls of a school. Millions are wandering in poverty. Millions have no place of abode. Millions are uneducated. Millions are surviving through prostitution. Graduates are graduating into robbery. Good certificates are tied to examination malpractices. Air planes have become disasters. Road transport is claiming unaccountable lives, and the political influenced 'Boko Haram' is taking away from us our loved ones with periodical bomb blasts. In a nutshell, an average Nigerian has become a corrupt individual being a victim of a configured and polluted economy under the leadership of a first-class corrupt government.

The truth however remains that there is nothing criminal about an average Nigerian. A guilty man is only a product of a guilty environment. An average Nigerian would no more be corrupt if the society he lives permit him no access to corruption. Hence, it can only be better with a leadership that abhors corruption. Sadly, the actors of our government just as their predecessors, from the military to this era of civil-dictatorship rule, are products of corruption with their antique experience tied to the weariness of shallowed thinking. We are the majority while those who manipulate us, though powerful and disastrous, are minority. But they can never be mighty than our strategic and physical coalition.. We must hold them accountable and ensure none of these bandwagons get away with it, ranging from the presidency to those in shadows. What sort of comfort is it you have that makes you forget the poor ones, the powerless, the voiceless, the beggars, families without homes, the orphans, and those whose lives are being torn apart by political violence? Be aware you will be part of those to account for their blood if you take no step to stop their pains.

If you are not yet inspired to demand from your fellow black man your freedom of rights, you absolutely have no reason to complain if being ridiculed for being a Nigerian. So I am starting as the man in the mirror- I am volunteering to be among the men in the arena, whose face shall be marred with tears, dust, and blood; who is making effort to solicit for a profitable freedom for my people; who shall reclaim the birth and human rights of the voiceless; so that I will never be among those cold and timid souls who knows neither victory nor defeat. We must stand up for our rights because our freedom will not be given to us on a platter of gold. No messiah is coming from heaven because we are the heroes we seek for. What you are about to witness is a mutiny between the oppressed and the oppressor. This event will be historical. This event is about to be triggered in your brain. Are you still sitting?

Welcome to the revolution...

akolshoremi@yahoo.com

The House Built On Schizophrenia

akolshoremi@yahoo.com

“The North and South are like Oil and Water, they will never mix” -Lord Lugard (The Governor Of both Northern and Southern Nigeria, 1912)

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder involving failures of perception and withdrawal from reality. It is an illness one is said to be suffering from when one failed to consider facts by living in illusion.

Few months ago, I wrote an Ode for Nigeria. As usual, I was confronted by those who look but cant see. They could feel all the troubles around and the dangers too, but they couldn’t see the inevitable. They couldn’t see what few of us could see. They couldn’t see that our home never had a cemented foundation. Suffice to say they were not there when the foundation was layed, so how would they know?

Sometimes in 1914, Sir Fredrick Lugard was probably ordered to amalgamate two different worlds; the Northern Nigeria and the Southern Nigeria. Out of fears of what the future will hold, Lugard cried out relating the two worlds as oil and water which no mixture technique (be it peace, unity, or freedom) can ever merge together.

A brief look at the word ‘nation’ in a lexicon revealed it to be “people of mainly common descent (ancestral) and history usually inhabitating a particular country under one government.” Unfortunately, Nigeria being the largest black country in the world have over a hundred and fifty million citizens who are not from common ancestral backgrounds. Of course, Nigeria’s three major tribes are Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, but there are more other ethnic groups demanding attention for national recognition.

Whatever the British intention was still remains a mystery to many but facts revolve around that just like every other British colonized nations, Nigeria wasn’t created to stand the test of time. The reason of this intent as claimed by some people is no other than to enable the nation remain inferior to the powers of the Great Britain, and to ensure a continuity in the exploitation of Africa by the western world. This obviously have been achieved over the years as Nigeria, ranked the 8th most populated country in the world, is still a land of mediocre governance. After-all, like China and the United States of America, the strength of the powerful nations in the world often remains their size and population. These two, Nigeria isn’t lacking in.

Many years prior to my birth, history claimed Nigeria was at a crossroad, decades after, we still haven’t left the interchange. It is either our leaders are irresponsible and clueless on how to move forward, or my people (the followers) are indolent. Our present leaders may be irresponsible, but we cant deny the fact that our founding fathers, so aware of the amalgamation lapses, not only criticize it, but also resorted into making the oil and water mix. Though deep within, some of them favoured their tribes through one or other means. The orientation of the followers cropped out of our founding fathers’ followers have today derailed, as among them are the egocentric leaders presently doing the nation harm.

A critical research into the status of most colonized countries within the past three decades, revealed many have splited. Fifteen countries were noted to have emerged from the USSR dissolution in 1991 notably among are Georgia, Ukraine, and Russia. Also, in early 1990, six independent countries also emerged from Yugoslavia.

Other countries that have also gained independence from old ties are as follows; Nambia became independent of South Africa on March 21,1990; The ‘Marshall Islands’ gained independence from the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands on September 17, 1991; Micronesia formerly known as the Caroline Islands gained independence from the United States on September 17, 1991; The Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent nations owing to the disintegration of Czechoslovakia on January 1, 1993; Eritrea also gained independence from Ethopia on May 25, 1993; Palau gained independence from the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands administered by the United States on October 1st, 1994; East Timor (Timor-Leste) gained independence from Indonesia in 2002; Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008; and lastly, South Sudan peacefully emerged from Sudan on July 9, 2011.

Other places likened to break up are New Caledonia from France, while Greenland may secede from Denmark, and Northern Island may soon break away from the United Kingdom. And glaringly, Nigeria wont be left out of the breakdown too as the chances of survival are very slim.
Each time I pronounce the envisaged breakdown of Nigeria, I often got criticized on the doubt of my patriotism. But it is not enough to say that patriotism is about keeping a country together to further harm it, but by ensuring the country is served what is needed to promote the welfare of its people. Nigeria is one of the very few nations loosing grip of togetherness assumed by the British experiment, and maybe it is not going to break on its size or population, but the numerous number of tribes coerced together.As the threat of a new country called Biafra still hunts us, likewise the seeming demand of a Sharia nation by the Northern oppressors, the South-West dominated by the Yorubas and few other regions have became isolated. What more is needed to awaken us from the illusion of a united Nigeria?

We must address this issue of Schizophrenia before it gets out of hand, lest we are caught unaware and possibly destroyed beyond individual repairs. . .

A MYSTERIOUS GOODLUCK: AN OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY AT 55!

http://ogunvoicenews.com/a-mysterious-goodluck-an-open-letter-to-his-excellency-at-55/

On behalf of my fellow Nigerians and foreign well-wishers, may I wish you a happy birthday as you add another year. Also, may I use this opportunity to commiserate with you and your family on the demise of your brother, Meni, who died yesterday in a clinic there in Abuja. Together with the lives of many other Nigerians that we’ve lost to Kidnapping, Boko Haram, Famine, Flood, et al; I seek upon their souls the forgiveness and mercy of the Almighty.

My first physical encounter with you was in 2010, prior to the 2011 General Elections, at the ‘My Friends and I’ occasion held at Eko Hotel and Suites, where I came in company of my friends to hear from our Facebook President. Even when I know the occasion was organized as a pro-presidency campaign, and that I sure knew I wouldn’t be voting for you, the occasion provided me the avenue to meet a young brilliant lady whom I have developed an affectionate and career-focused relationship with over time. If at least that’s all I benefited from attending your occasion, I bet it worth the memory. And with a grateful heart, I tender an appreciation for uniting my admirer and I somehow.

Forgive me if I am already carried away in the euphoria of recounting my love experience, after-all, you will agree with me that no matter how tough the heart of a warrior is, love at times can make it melt.

Yesterday, the world celebrated you but I never deem it neccessary to send you a farewell message. That shouldn’t be translated into we being enemies. No! Infact, we are very good friends because as your critic, you can be rest assured to see yourself better through me. And as a good friend, yesterday I wept for you because you are an inch closer to your grave, yet, you aren’t making efforts to lie peacefully in it someday. Those friends, families, and associates who laughed with you must either be after your birthday meals, money, fame, power, or connection. But as a naturally endowed and contented citizen, I am after none. All I want is to ensure you reconcile with your grave before the day it will remain your only companion.

I used to see you the way I now see Namadi Sambo- as a peaceful coward, sluggish and indecisive too. And of course I knew you can never be good to lead a war if anything happens to Umar Musa Yar’adua. As if I knew, something happened and see how bad Nigeria have suddenly become on the war field. Sadly, rather for the Northerners to provide you with an experienced General who can positively influence your thinking as a Companion, they gave you Namadi. Namadi? Namadi Sambo? Oh God!

In recent times, you’ve come open to proove to us that you are not only bad in leadership, but your public relation too is not only awkward, but zero. One time, you said you don’t give a damn about transparency. Few days ago again, you said you never promised to reduce poverty but to only create wealth. How on earth do you wish to achieve that? Sometimes, I swear, I find it hard to understand you that I wonder if it is a real President that often shows up to us or a clowned one. However, I have taken time to re-visit your ‘Declaration Speech’ that pronounced you as a Presidential Candidate in the 2011 Elections, and extracted some of your promises that are obviously short-comings. Finally, the effort is to wake you up to your responsibilities before time denies you.

In your Declaration Speech, below are some excerpts and what I have to say-

EXCERPT 1:

“I discovered that by sheer willpower, I could end the long queues and price fluctuation in our petrol stations. Today, all our refineries are working, saving us huge amounts of funds spent on importation of petroleum products.”

Why then did you still chose to remove the ‘non-existing’ petroleum subsidy when all refineries are working? And the long queues and price fluctuation have become worsen- do you made that out of sheer willpower too?

EXCERPT 2:

“We saw to it that normalcy began to return to the Niger-Delta by ensuring government’s fidelity to its promises, and this has helped to stabilize our national revenue.”

Today, has it actually stabilized our national revenue or financially enrich the pockets of Tompolo, Asari, and other Militants turned Hero as millions of dollars are being paid to these militants by your government annually.

EXCERPT 3:

“I targeted our educational system to return quality and competitiveness to them”

Mr. President, how poor you so forgot that WAEC recorded a huge failure under your rule in the year 2010 and 2011. Even 2012 isn’t better!

EXCERPT 4:

“I charged our anti-corruption agencies to speed up the war against corruption, and respect no sacred cows in the process.”

Liar! What major effort have you done to ensure justice melt on your political sponsor, Femi Otedola? Why have you kept mute and allow our useless Legislators clear Farouq Lawan of the bribery crime? Why are you still harbouring Doyin Okupe from justice? Why? Why?

EXCERPT 5:

“Let the word go out that our health sector will receive maximum priority in a new Jonathan administration, a priority that will ensure maximum health care and stop our brain drain.”

But you’ve failed enough that you even lacked the confidence in letting your wife remain in the country for treatment. Imagine what happened to your brother in the Abuja clinic!

EXCERPT 6:

“Let the ordinary Nigerian be assured that President Jonathan will have zero tolerance for corruption.”

But you don’t give a damn about asset declaration. More so, you detest transparency. You even claimed to warn late Umar not to declare his asset to the people he served. With the failed ‘Subsidy Probe’, and dismissed Ribadu’s Oil Reform Report, and your outrageously extravagant annual budgets over the years, please what’s your own definition of zero-tolerance for corruption?

You said, “We will fight for Justice!” But where is justice for the masses who have been extorted over the years? Liar!

You said, “We will fight for all Nigerians to have access to POWER!” But the fair times have become a memory since dry season set in. You lied!

You said, “We will fight for qualitative and competitive EDUCATION!” Obviously you lied for the qualitative- for the competitive, you are right because other lesser nations are now competing with us.

You said, “We will fight for HEALTH CARE REFORMS!” But why has Germany became Nigerian University Teaching Hospital? So you lied too!

You said, “We will create jobs for all Nigerians!” Yet few days ago, you confessed that you never promised to reduce poverty. Again, you lied!

You said, “We will fight Corruption!” Do we need a Committee on Research to show you lied here too?

You said, “We will fight to protect all Citizens!” Yet Boko Haram has killed hundreds of our people, excluding your family. Liar!

You said, “We will fight for your rights!” But ordinary justice you cant give to the common man. See, you lied too!

Why have you chosen to lie always? I learnt it hurts less to always say the truth, as for each lie you made, you must make up for it with another lie and so on. Once more, I appeal you change from your ways as we near our graves every other day. If your aides and families wont be sincere with you, it is my patriotic duty to aware you of the grave you are digging. After-all you said it that “every citizen must realize that government is too important to be left in the hands of politicians alone.”

Remember you also once said that “the resources of Nigerian belong to all Nigerians. You must watch over how the government spends the money belonging to you. You must be stakeholders not onlookers…” We promise to improve on our best to check your activities, even though your media dog, Reuben Abati, cant find a better set of words to describe us than “collective children of anger.”

Don’t reply me if you’ve not made up your mind to turn a new leave as I can`t bear another loads of lies…

Yours Patriot
Akolawole Shoremi
For: The Nigerian Masses.

BREAKING THE GENERATIONAL JINX OF CAPITALISM AND POLITICAL SLAVERY: THE YOUTHS AS REMEDY TO ECONOMIC INSTABILITY

We inherited a ‘Coat of Arms’ with an Eagle that has lost grip, two Horses that have parted ways, a tilted black shield mourning our nation’s fall, and Coctus Spectabilis that has turned grey. We asked why our fathers have let things this worse but there was no courageous reply. Deep within us, we realized we are in trouble because this ‘Coat of Arms’ signifies a dearth of unity and faith, peace and progress.

Ours is a land of disorderliness, one whose soil is maggot-filled and over-fertile for greedy ambitions that uphold human-human injustices- an absolute wickedness of the efffects of Capitalism. Ours are political Conjurors who are Predators on the inflatable minds of the ‘religiously gullible’ citizenry populous. Ours are political somnambulists dominating the helms of a directionless and visionless government. Ours are the unemployed youths with potentials to impersonate, intimidate, initiate, incriminate, associate, emasculate, with supreme and unparallel energies, all as manipulated for political pursuits or satisfaction by desperate elders in collaboration with luxury-driven Clerics that have traded the gospel for wordly gains. Ours are hopeless youths wandering the streets in search of aberrant means of livelihood. Ours are caucuses of undeserving elders merrying extravagantly on the rights of our generation and the unborn ones. Ours are media houses flamboyantly domesticated to promote political goals. Ours are political Dons under which the Devil is stregthened as an internee. Ours are honoured Entrepreneurs feeding and sponsoring governments’ covetous policies. Ours are first ladies on payroll as another branch of Executives on looting expedition. Ours are exclusively lazy Senators and Honourables lacking ideas for self-sustainability to provide comfort for their immediate families, without preying on their helpless masters who are the Electors. Ours is a conspiracy of pressure groups and public Executives to defraud the masses. Ours is every imaginable expression of absurdity- the reason we are the second most corrupt country in the world. Ours is a nation inherited out of the goodwill of our founding fathers. Ours is a country called NIGERIA. And we are the ones called NIGERIANS- indeed we strive to be good people but helplessly in an infectedly configured nation.

As it may be hypocritical of me to ignore the above stated introduction of who we are, it would as well be more offensive to begin outlining all our challenges through a recall on the history of who we are, whence we begin, and why we are where we are.

Few years ago, I actively joined the struggle for a better nation. Having submitted uncountable developmental proposals to government parastatals and private organizations, all unfruitful, like the great Fela Anikulapo Kuti, I resorted into activism. At the cause of being a Student Activist paddling in the oceanic extension of a federal government anti-corruption agency, I was appointed as the pioneer President of a Students Anti-Corruption Vanguard, an arm of the Independent Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Commision (ICPC). Gradually, I became engaged in some governmental programmes initiated to curb corruption in the society. Within a limited time-frame of outstanding and patriotic dedication, I rose to become the Ag. President of the Vanguard for the State Chapter, introducing the ICPC Vanguard into different institutions, all along the unrelenting support of a student-team who are as patriotic too. The success is applauding but the challenges encountered are scaring, thereby exposing us enough to have our conviction altered, on substantial realities, that we are as the people of Nigeria are trapped in a corrupt system influencing every little decision.

Likewise, we realized the nation’s government is only chasing shadow being non-supporting to anti-corruption activities, except to pay lips-service to its promotion. Yes, it’s a fallen nation that can never be rid of corruption without a vigorous national attitudinal reorientation.
It has become a generational jinx for our nation to be continually run on instability. This, on research, was traced to the many illegal access granted to Capitalists in the past. The past and present Executives, Legislators, and top Civil Servants have all collectively plunged our nation into a pitiable circumstance, periodically being transformed into an hurly-burly to further divert the attention of the insensitive masses from their treasury. At the expense of every man pursuing his vested interest, the affairs of the country have become inferior, interwoven, and imprisoned to the dictations of the Entreprenuers, mostly those on national honourary list, and their foreign cohorts.

These Entrepreneurs are friends of our public servants extorting the poor masses and their juicy resources, on the cooperation of the traitors in government and governmental policies, being sponsors of political parties and their candidates. While some Entrepreneurs opt to completely venture in political affairs, others simply chose to remain affilates utilizing every political connection when solely needed. The consequences of all these economic hunts are invested as ruins in the future of the nation- with the youths and unborn generation at the receiving end of the political misfortunes. These misfortunes are relics from the political chain entangling the youths in political slavery.

Recently, a man who should know better about the Nigerian future, Olusegun Obasanjo, predicted a revolution due to massive youths unemployment resulting in Phd. Holders applying for Drivers’ post in Dangote’s conglomerate. Prior to this, the Presidency have angered the people with his fuel-subsidy removal policy, and he is even promising to anger and impoverish them more by a complete removal of a subsidy concocted by the government and her entrepreneurship associates. Anti-corruption agencies are not granted independence, and are also poorly funded. To public dismay, the Presidency have on several occassions publicly display its non-readiness and incompetence to lead the challenge against economic menaces. This same Presidency lavishes the nation’s resources on feeding and allowances without a consideration on how poorly the people are living. Dissappointedly, leaders of opposition parties have turned this alarming situation into an opportunity to mislead the youths more. What else is needed to predict a revolution?

It however saddens me that at the cause of my participation in active youths ethical and attitudinal reorientation, it has become a challenging task to align the motives of the youths to core patriotism. Mostly at times, the youths, like their mentors, are discovered to be machineries of political parties. Dictators of leading and opposition parties have much impoverish the nation’s youths hopelessly enough to manipulate them for political gains. Cheap comrades are bought at the expense of little luxury, and each time, the situation is left worser than how it was. This was the same footstep of many of our fathers, which has driven us to where we are today, and on this same path many of our youths now threads.

The unknown is now known to us- it is either we witness a disintegration or a revolution. The former (disintegration) being the handworks of our fathers, or the later (revolution) beckoning hopefully at the mercy of the youths. We must be vigilant whichever way the revolution has chosen to come. The revolution must only be promoted on collective interest, not on party’s or political godfathers’ manipulation.

The youths must rise to the task and assume responsibilities of priotizing patriotism above self-motives. The youths must realize that national development is of utmost importance, and contributing to it loyally is the price to pay for the little freedom we enjoy as once fought for by our ‘founding fathers’. The youths must resist being tools in the hands of politicians if we indeed crave a better society with wide opportunities for every youth. The task of breaking the jinx of capitalism and political slavery can only be matched with youthful exurberance. And it all begins with a positive change of attitude to make our wrongs right, resist political or monetary intimidations, and oppose those opposing youths independence via any available mean. With the above measures, we are better armed to prepare for the generation unborn a healthier nation.

We have dreamt to change. We have clamoured for change. We have stood for change. We have fought for change. We thought we have given everything for change, but we haven’t change to welcome the change. If we agreed that change is a must, then, the time is due.

THE COUP THAT COMRADES DO

Restlessly we marched
aggressively on the soil
like wounded soldiers-half heroes-
waiting for the sun to shine
to smile to the world
and bid as victors do
or so we hoped
hoping we dont hope in vain

Fruitfully in row
like paste or pudding
flavoured with sweats
and bloods
prepared from raising agents
to take lead
through our mentors lead
that fiercely as sparks
we can gravitates.

Painfully we fights
with words
and voices
against oppression
and frustration
in a chain circle-
held tightly by Executhieves
and Legislathieves
who are elected thieves.

Close to victory.

Betray.

My father warned
about a struggle
called humanity
and the things
its actors do.

We can labour to dusk
We can push to end
We can… We can…
We are dreamful Comrades

Aye!

Their fathers warned
about a craft
called comradeship
and the evil
its apprentices do.

We are indivisible
and so we pledged-
with the hope to win
in ‘espirit de corps’.

Our fathers warned
to beware of ourselves
that man could be evil
if man could be devil.

Somewhere while we dreamt
Sometime while we plan
A coup is birthed
with half-baked Comrades
flavoured with no sweats
or bloods
with no words
or voices
with low bid
for sunshine
and high bid
for rainbow.

We’ve failed
not because we failed
but we’ve failed
for the evil
of some comrades
deep within us.

While our hopes
are murdered
with daggers
of stale conscience
far-away in Disney Island
are among us- men
sharing the fruits
of our struggles
with foreign wines
and cheap accolades.

I long heard the whisper
forth-nights ago
that the coup
that Comrades do
only makes the Patriot suffer!

-Akolawole Shoremi

RE – OBASANJO`S “NIGERIA WILL WITNESS A REVOLUTION SOON”

By Akolawole Shoremi

THANK YOU GENERAL OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, WE WILL REVOLT VERY SOON!

“This country with its institutions, belong to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their ‘constitutional right’ of amending it or their ‘revolutionary right’ to dismember and overthrow it.”
- Sir Abraham Lincoln

I was busy studying ‘Cracking The Millionaire Code’ by Mark Hansen and Robert Allen when I opt to relief myself with news on the social media. Right here on OgunVoiceNews, I stumbled on the news of a revolutionary warning issued by a famous General. How so interesting that the songs of revolution have long become familiarize with my mettlesome lips, therefore setting blaze my adrenalin to unveil and confirm the possibility of a revolution by the man who knows about Nigeria than I do.

An anoynmous said, “we can dodge our responsibilities but we can never dodge the consequence of dodging our responsibilities.” As a nation, we’ve failed. We’ve failed not because we didnt understand where we are coming from or where we are moving to, we’ve failed because we chose to priotize greed above selfless service, party-wishes above patriotism, ethnic and religious bigotism above discipline and true morals.

The primary responsibility of any government whatsoever is to priotize the welfare of her people in every decision making. Unfortunately, what we have in this part of the world is a government that satisfies herself before the people it was meant to serve. A government with a President that chose to wear gold shoes because he is from a wretched background that cant afford him a pair of shoe as a kid. A presidency that eats with both hands and two legs amounting to billions of naira while the masses stinks in poverty. But both the Electors and the Elected are responsible for who we are as a nation- we’ve both failed to carryout our part of responsibilities diligently and patriotically too. And indeed we can only fail to bear our burdens as expected or good for us, we can never fail to bear the consequence of our irresponsible and insensitive acts.

The present economic challenge of Nigeria seems to be much related to the events of the Revolutionary America across the 18th century to the 19th century, a notable one of which is on November 21, 1864, when Sir Abraham Lincoln wrote in a letter to Col. Williams F. Elkins as below,

“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and cause me to tremble for the safety of my country, corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endaevor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people, until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the Republic destroyed.”

The reality of the extract above was what dawned on my mind when I came across our own General Olusegun Obasanjo’s fear as contained in his words,

“I’m afraid, and you know I am a General. When a General says he is afraid, that means the danger ahead is real and potent…”

Making comparison, it might be right to view Obasanjo to Nigeria as what Lincoln was to America as at then. And it may be right too to assert that, as many believed Nigeria can never match the United States in every standard, as not witnessing what the US have witnessed, then we can assume that maybe Nigeria as a nation is also about to be transformed into a new, better & world’s super-nation. Just that our quest for revolution I feared may be battered by the same factors that corruption have used to impoverish us.

In my unpublished work- THE FAILED BRITISH EXPERIMENT: IN THE SHACKLES OF CORRUPTION, WHO WILL BAIL NIGERIA?- I stated so many reasons to why the country may never survive a revolution and still remain as one owing to our foundation, and the secret notions of our founding fathers that never wanted the almagamation of the Northern and Southern Nigeria. Also, as recalled by Karl Maier in his book ‘THIS HOUSE HAS FALLEN’, Obasanjo in his ’99 Presidential address had seen corruption as having reached the proportion of full blown cancer saying, “… there will be no sacred cows. Nobody, no matter who and where, will be allowed to get away with the breached of the law or the perpetration of corruption and evil.”

Contrary to Obasanjo’s hopes, our Nigeria today have so many sacred cows; ranging from Ayo Fayose (Fmr. Gov. of Ekiti), Adenike Grange (Fmr. Minister of Health), Joshua Dariye (Fmr. Gov. of Plateau), Saminu Turaki (Fmr. Gov. of Jigawa), Femi Fani Kayode (Fmr. Minister of Aviation), Gbenga Daniel (Fmr. Gov. of Ogun) and many more. Dissappointedly, General Olusegun Obasanjo himself is the Chief Sacred Cow of the modern Nigeria. Having duped Nigerians of #65 Billion alleged kickbacks and extortions in form of donations to his Presidential Library, and another #3 Billion alleged MOFAS account as recounted by former VP, Atiku Abubakar, and ...

IN THE NEXUS OF CORRUPTION, POLITICS, & PATRIOTISM: WHO IS AN ENTREPRENEUR?

By Akolawole Shoremi – akolawole@ogunvoicenews.com

Having survived the first urge to drop out of school, I eventually acquired a moto-bike for commercial use to begin what seems to be my first business. To meet other demands craving my attention far back in 2009, I had to transfer the business supervision to an old friend who have a better experience in the line. Moreover, I had an important function though non-profitable financially, it was an humanitarian work I cant afford to miss. After a month leave, I returned home to realize I have no dime to bank on from the business I left. Recounting the ordeal, the contracted motorcyclist had an accident with the motor-bike few days after I travelled. And obviously, on sighting the motor-bike, I knew it was more better to be in pieces- this was one of the main reasons I chose to study the act of Entrepreneurship before I make a bigger investment.

In early 2010, I became acquainted with an entrepreneurship organization where my knowledge was more broadened. Earlier, I’ve attended various business summits and could boast of elementary skills, as an added advantage, I had some entreprenuership books at hand too that further expanded my realm in the business world. Only to my amazement I realized how gifted I could easily initiate and design business ideas via my instinct, creatively and passionately. As I choose to proceed in understanding how best to capture the global market, I also realized there is a difference from the content of what I’ve read from books and the demands of the global market. Having submitted enough unfruitful proposals to several companies on partnership, even multi-national ones, something strikes me revealing it is not just enough to be full of ideas, no- not in this world!

In my pursuit to research the ideal ways to become a force to be reckon with in the businesss environment, I stumbled on the ’48 Laws of Power’ and few other books. And indeed the books were useful and well detailed on how to utilize people and lure organizations to achieve my desires. Meantime I knew why it may never work with me and why I may never be a good Entrepreneur. It was then also that I realized that a good Entrepreneur can never double as a good Leader, and vice versa. A good Leader cant sky-rocket a company profitably within a short period. Leadership’s first rule is about serving while the demands of a good Manager negates this rule. The first managerial rule is to utilize all available resources to achieve profit for a company. Of course, notable of these resources include bribery, gratification, extortion, political influence, et al.

Midway, I realized I am more of a servant that desire to see things done legally rather than trampling on the rights of others, or because those I have to make the money from lacks the will to challenge or stop me.

As practised in the global world, the Nigerian environment is not left out. The multi-national companies that are been considered as promoters of our economy like the oil companies, telecommunications, banks, and others never got to their height legally. Shell, a multi-national Oil Company, apart from its numerous illegal transactions with the past actors of the Nigerian government, is widely known for its environmental damages in the southern part of the country. The Banks, compared to non-interest banks, add little value to the people upon interests accrued from customers’ monies. The telecommunication companies, like MTN, are notable for extortion upon the bad network service offered to the subscribers. As I stated above, their primary concern is to profit by all means. Whatever offer any of these companies tagged ‘CSR’ is not in the true spirit. Their definition of Corporate Social Responsibility is a set of baits designed to keep attracting more preys. Yes, convincingly, for still being in their business, they usually have good Managers. And of course, their sustainance of the first managerial rule is non-relenting. With official corruption and gratification, and possibly some political supports, there will always be an enabling environment to keep abusing the people.

Perhaps you are already thinking of building a business without these vices, then you must as well begin to learn how to be contented with the little you make. But if you had wanted to build a large conglomerate just as I dreamt, but you are also more concerned about others than yourself, then it is important you have a re-think before you start because either you take it or not there is a nexus which every famous Entrepreneur survives on. That nexus is one connected to corruption, politics, and patriotism; and when corruption and politics are your priority, you will indeed have the global market at your fingertip- but if patriotism is your own priority, you may also be successful but only through divine grace. And the later should be enough for anyone who wants a lasting success!